Stage race-track



STAGE RAGE TRAGK- Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

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Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

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s. E. HooPBs. STAGE RAGE TRACK. No. 559,031. PatentedApr. 28, 1896.

Y y .Q f/N -EV (PML 64h/ We? v .77.7'5 :75m/'ng Nrrnn STATES SAMUEL-E.Hoorns, or MINNEAPQLIS, MINNESOTA.

STAGE RAC E-TRACVK.

' SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No..559',031, dated VApril28, 1896.

Application {ile-d February 15,1896. Serial No. 579,361. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern: y Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. Hoorns, ofMinneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Stage Raceflracks, of which the following is aspecification. My invention relates to improvements in theaterracetracks, and particularly to a preferably continuous oval or circularracetrack, which may be quickly erected' or taken down, will be adaptedto any theater, and the construction of which will permit its easytransportation fromplace to place.

Further, my invention relates to a bicycle race-track not confined tothe stage, but occupying the auditorium as Well, and raised I parts ofwhich are `performed in a theater as an adjunct to a u vided, that thetrack be one which will peri that it will bein view to such a heightabove the floor ofthe house from allparts of the. theater.

lleretofore theatrical' races composing a chief part of the play havetaken place er1-- tirely upon the stage, and usually before a movingpanorama, by 'which the illusion of movement Was obtained.

It is the object of my invention to provide means whereby a real'raceupon a track, all clearly in view, may be play. To thisend it isnecessary that a track of sufficient length for a realistic race bepromit the riders to make several laps thereon,

` and that the entire track shall be in view olf I find uponconsideration that the audience. it is further necessary that the trackbe of such a construction that it may be in position throughout theperformance of which the race forms the last act, and yet not materiallyin- `teriere with the view of the stage. Further, as a theatricalappliance the track structure must be light and composed'of sections, sothat it may be easily transported with other theatrical properties. Itmust be of a construction so'- simple hands may erect it. It must beextensible, to adapt it to theaters of various sizes, as to the lengthof the hall and the depth of the stage. Means must be provided forsupporting the track over uneven or inclined floors and at aconsiderable height above' the same, all without obstructing the theateraisles or seats or the view of the stage;

must be provided for firmly anchoring the track, which means shouldpreferably be independent ofthe Walls of the house, as few theaters arevprovided with such permanent fixtures as would be required for thepurpose. Further, the track must'be of such a nature that personssitting Watch the approach of riders thereon. Devices must be providedfor the safety of the beneath 'the same may` riders, whichdevices,fexcept during the race,

should be either collapsible into a small space or removablegand,further, as the track isl preferably raised above the stage floor, meansmust clear to the floor.

Having determined the requirements, it is the particular obj ect of thisinvention to provide a ytheater race-track conforming therewith.

that the ordinary stagel be devised to allow the curtain to drop Myinvention consists generally in a theater bicycle race-track occupyingspace both above the stage and the floor of the auditorium; and,further, .my invention consists, in such a track, preferably in oval Vorcircular form, whereon the riders may make a n'umber of laps; and,further, the invention consists in particular constructions,arrangements, and combination of parts, all as here inafter describedandparticularly pointed` out in the claims.

stood by referenceto the -accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specication, Figure 1is a plan tion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 isa .cross-section on the line am of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail of one ofthe standards which support the guard wire or netting surrounding thetrack. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the track arranged to restdirectly upon the door of the@ stage. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a portionof Fig. 5'. Fig. 7 is a detail of the standard supporting the inner end0f the track, as shown in Fig. 5. In the drawings, 2 represents thestage raised above the door of the orchestra-pit V3, and 4 representsthe boxes arranged upon either side of the stage.'` By these outlinesthe position of the track is' defined.` 1 .i

and, further, means The invention will be more .readily underview of abicycle-track embodying my inven-` 4 In Fig. 2, 5 representsthe balcony'supported i i than the cross-bars 16, to provi( e for the inby the posts6 and?, and from the balcony hangers 8 may depend to support Lthe innerend of the track. Beneath the track are arranged upright standards 9,adjustable if desired. These support the track, and at the inner end ofthe track I preferably provide the inclined standards or guys l0,whichserve io'prevent any longitudinal movement of the track. .I may providehangers and standards upon each side of the track,if they are needed,

to prevent it from swaying.

Upon the stage I provide the upright standards l1 and the inclined rodsor guys 12,whiel1 scenrel y brace the sections of the track and holdthem firmly in position.

'lo facilitate the movement of the track from place to place, it is madein sections adapted to be securely fastened together. The frame, betweenthe ides of which the floor or track proper is placed, is madcgup ofstrips or bars, such as 13, 14, and 15. n These bars are connected bycross bars or braces 16, the parts together making up a number of shortsections. The cross-bars are provided with holes 17, through which boltsare passed to secure the different secti ons together. The outer bars 13upon each side of the track majr have sockets 1S to receive the lowerends of the standards 23, between which the safetynets 22 are stretched.

At each end of the oval track I provide cross bars or rails 20 and 21,together wider the ends of the track to enable the riders to make theturn without slackening their speed.

Around the outer edge of the track are the nets 22, arranged on theinclined standards 22). lhe open space in the middle of the oval may,for the further safety of the riders, be closed by a netting' 2l. Inthis case the nets 22 may be dispensed with around the inner elinerequired at edge of the track.

A section of the track directly beneath the curtain may be hinged toperlnit its being raised up or dropped down, or the section may beremovable to allow the curtain to fall clear to the stage when it isdesired to conceal the stage during the progress of the play.

'.lhe track extends from the back of the stage ont into the main body ofthe house, reaching nearly to the balcony. It is raised above the floorand seats of the auditorium and preferably above the stage.

The length of the track and its exact position with respect to positionof theater walls and balcony cannot bc here determined, as the positionof the track in each theater wherein it is used must be so adjnstedas toafford the best possible view thereof from all parts of the house. Extrasections are provided to increase either the width or the length of thetrack oval.

The track proper for bicycles make about may be varied according to thenumber of riders it is desired to put on.

I prefer t0 In one view I have shown the track composed of thin stripsof wood. rihese are preferably arranged upon canvas, so that theflooring may be rolled up; but I do not confine myself to this kind offlooring, as I much prefer to employ a style of flooring which will formless of an obstruction to the view of the stage and of the riders uponthe track. I Such a floor is composed or" wire netting or matting,through the meshes of which a view may be had of the stage or of theriders upon the track. The wire-netting may be rolled into a Ismallspace and may either be placed in position before the performance orrolled in between the frame parts of the track just before theperformance. The guard-nets 22 are preferably thrown down upon thetrack, except during the race.

The whole track, or at least that part of the same within theauditorium, may be suspended from the ceiling; but I prefer to supportthe track entirely from beneath, as few theaters are provided with thepermanent wallfastenings which would be required for securely anchoringthe track.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the manner of supporting thetrack, which consists in resting one end upon the floor of the stage andbolting the sections securely thereto, while the end that extends outover the seats is supported by upright standards. This track is alsomade in sections, and the different sectionsare bolted together in thesame manner as the track shown and described in Fig. 1.

The adjustable standards supporting the track comprise the base 26,secured to the iioor of the theater, having a hollow upright standard27, threaded at its upper end to receive the screw 28, which enters thethreaded lower end of the tube 29, hinged to the under side of thetrack. The screw 28 is provided near its middle portion with a shoulder3], having square faces to permit the screw to be turned with a wrenchto raise or lower the track. The plate or block 30 being hinged to thetop of the jackor adjustable standard 29, the track can be easilyadjusted to a horizontal or inclined position without regard to ltheunevenne'ss of the floor of the theater.-

In Fig. 6 the track is shown provided with a removable section 32opposite the main aisle. (Indicated by dotted lines.) This seetion maybe hinged at one side or maybe removed entirely when the track is lowdown and it is desired to seat the people in the spacefsurroundcd by thetrack. Around the outer edge of the track (shown in Iiig. 5) I providethe vseries of inclined standards 33,

eight feet in width, although this like the parts 23, to sup ort theguard wire or netting while the'trae is in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecureby Letters Patent-l 1. In a theatrical race-track, thefcombination, withthe stage, of the track above the same, said track extending into thebody of IOO IIO

' of the stage, the track the house over the front of said stage, andmeans for supporting said track, for the purpose lset forth.

2. In a theatrical race-track, the combination with the stage, of thesectional track projecting beyond the front of the stage into the bodyof the house, and means for supporting said track, substantially asdescribed.

The combination, in a device of the class described, with the stage o rplatform, of the oval sectional track,having one end supported abovesaid stage, and its opposite end projecting beyond the front of the sameand supi being composed "of the rails or bars 13, 14 and -15 and thecross-pieces 16, means for 'securing said sections together, andsupporting the same in a horizontal postion,and said track beingarranged to' project beyond the front of the stage into the main portionof the house, for the purpose set forth. l 6. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with the stage, of the track composed of aseries of sections and projecting beyond the front o'f the stage, meansfor supporting said track, and the floor or tread of the. track beinginwardly inclined, for the purpose set forth. I

7. 'Ihe combination, in a stage race-track, having 4one end supportedupon said stage and the other extending beyond the portion of the house,said track being composed of a series of sections securely fastenedtogether, means for supporting said track, the guard-nettingsurroundingthe same, and a similar netting filling the space in themiddle of the track, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination, with the stage,of the track having one end supported thereby, and its opposite endprojecting forward above the seats, said track being composed of `aseries seats,

front thereof into the main iof sections secured togther, theguard-netting arranged about the track, the wire-matting forming thefloor. of the same and being inwardly inclined at each end, and meansfor supporting the inner end of the track, substantially as described. i

9. In a device of the class described, the combination, with the stage,of the oval section of trackhaving one end supported thereby and itsopposite end extending over the means'for supporting said lastnamed endof the track, the matting forming the floor of the track, theguard-netting surround-- ing .the same, andthe movable sections beneaththe curtain and opposite the aisles, for the purpose set forth.

10. A theatrical device consisting in a suitably suspended or supportedrace-track having a floor or tread of an open-meshed material, as andfor the purpose specified.

11. An oval or circular theatrical racetrack, having adjustable supportsandthe iioor or'tread ofthe track being inwardly iuclined and of anexaggerated inclination at the ends or turns, as and for the purposespecified.

= 12. Atheatrical appliance consisting in combination with the stage, ofa curvilinear track extending from the stage into the body of the houseand suitable supports therefor, as and for the purpose specified. f

13. A theatrical appliance comprising 4a substantially curvilinearrace-track eXtensible above the iioor of the stage and of the auditoriumand composed of Iseparable scctions and adjustable supports whereby thetrack is adapted for use in various theaters, as and for the purposespecified.

14. The combination in a theatrical device of the class described, of acurvilinear track supported from thestage and the floor of theauditorium, and said track having sections which are removable to permitthe curtain to drop, as and for the purpose speci ed.

15. A theatrical appliance comprising a'n l oval or circular track madein sections and having vertically-adjustable supports, as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof my hand this 11th day of February, A. D.

f l SAMUEL HOOPES. In presence of RICHARD PAUL, y M. E. GooLEY.

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